Wire annealing machine



March 18, 1952 J. v. O'GRADY WIRE ANNEALING MACHINE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1Filed July 29, 1949 INVENTOR L768 7: V0 racfi 1% ATTO R N EYS,

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March 18, 1952 Filed July 29, 1949 INVENTOR JQL Q J PC ATT RNEYS,

och Corr/ro/ Line Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE toSyncro Machine Company,

Perth Amboy,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 29, 1949, Serial No.107,447

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to wire annealing machines, andparticularly to machines of the type in which the wire is heated to anannealing temperature while in motion. In the machine of this inventionwire is annealed by passing an electric current through a portionthereof intermediate the final capstan of the drawing machine and aspooling machine. A section of the wire intermediate the last twomentioned devices is led over a pair of sheaves which serve as contactelements to conduct a flow of electric current through a portion of thewire to heat it to annealing temperature. That portion of the wire whichis at annealing temperature is surrounded by an atmosphere of steam orother inert gas to prevent oxidation of the heated wire.

In the machine it is important that the contact sheaves mentioned bedriven synchronously with each other and with the final drawing capstansince the wire at the temperature necessary for annealing is subject toelongation and breakage. Therefore, there is provided by the machine ofmy invention a means for driving these two sheaves synchronously both atoperating speeds and also during periods of acceleration anddeceleration.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for annealingwire while that wire is in motion as, for example, passing from thefinal wire drawing machine to a spooling device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a driving mechanism forsuch an annealin device which will assure that the wire is not subjectedto strains which would cause elongation or breakage.

It is another object of the invention to produce such a drive in whichduring the accelerating and decelerating periods synchronism ismaintained.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a drivingmechanism as described above having purely electrical interconnectionwith the wire drawing machine drive.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent when thefollowing description is considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a combinedwire drawing, annealing and spooling apparatus embodying the features ofthis invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the wire annealing mechanism, including adiagrammatic illustration of the electrical circuit utilized forproducing heating of the wire to annealing temperature; and

Figure 3 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the mode of driving thecontact sheaves of the wire annealing portion of the machine in Figure1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals denotelike parts throughout the several views, numeral it) indicates the endwall of the casing of the wire drawing mechanism; II the final drawingdie; I2 the wire pulling capstan; and [3 a wire guide pulley mounted ona resilient buifer arm on [4 which is connected to a coil spring 15.

ll indicates a rotatable driven spool upon which the wire, after passingthrough the annealing apparatus, is finally wound. Spool I1 is mountedupon a pair of spindles [9 carried by a pair of upstanding bearingbrackets 20 supported upon a rigid part of the machine. Brackets 20 areelectrically insulated from the machine by a suitable plate ofinsulating material and in a like manner the pulley l3 and arm [4 areinsulated from the remainder of the machine.

As illustrated particularly in Figures 1 and 2, the wire I6 is ledhorizontally from the buffer pulley l3 over a sheave 25 mounted upon ashaft 25. Shaft 23 is an extension of the shaft of electric motor 27which is suitably mounted, see Figure 2, in an elevated position on aportion of the machine frame. Wire l6 passes downwardly from the sheave25 and around a second sheave 28, which sheave is mounted upon the shaft29 of the electric motor 30. From the sheave 28 wire [6 is led up andover a guide pulley 3i from which it is directed to the spool Ii. Theupper driving motor 21 is mounted on an insulating bracket 32 secured tothe vertical standard 33 and is arranged to be operated in the mannerhereinafter described at a speed such that the linear speed of theperiphery of sheave 25 is approximately equal to the linear speed ofwire I 6. The lower motor 30 is similarly mounted upon insulated bracket34 and is likewise controlled as hereinafter described so that theperipheral speed of the sheave 2B is equal to the linear speed of thewire l6. Guide pulley 3| is likewise supported upon an insulatingbracket 35 supported by the standard 33.

In order to provide a non-oxidizing gaseous envelope for the lowerportion 36 of the travelling wire IS the sheaves 25 and 28, an open tube31 is provided, preferably of insulating material such for example asPyrex, glass or suitable plastic, this tube having its lower end 4|immersed in a tank 38 of quenching water, the

pulley or sheave 28 being below the level 42 of the water in the tank.As is obvious, the shaft 29 passes through a stufiing box 89, see Figure2. Tube 37 is rigidly supported, as for example by the cross bar til, insuch a manner that the upper end 23 of the tube will be a considerabledistance above the tank 38 and will maintain an atmosphere of hot steamor other inert gas around that portion of the wire between sheaves 25and 28 which is at annealing temperature. In order to supply heat to therapidly moving wire between the final drawing capstan l2 and the sheave25, as well as between sheave 25 and sheave 28, the shaft of the drawingcapstan l2, as well as the motor shafts 25 and 29, each has a metal disci l secure thereon. Bearing against each of these metal discs is a brushcontact member t5, these contact brushes being insulatingly supportedand being resiliently held against respective contact discs.

As is indicated in Figure 1, current is supplied to the brushes 45 fromthe terminals 52! and 5i of a secondary coil 52 of a suitabletransformer 53. Terminal 5i) of coil 52 is connected by means ofconductor 56 to brush d5 of the capstan l2. Terminal 5! of transformercoil 52 is connected by means of conductor 56 to brush d5 of the uppersheave 25 and terminal 59 is connected through conductors 5t and 58 withthe brush 45 of the lower sheave 28.

The terminals of the primary coil 59 of transformer 53 are connected bymeans of suitable conductors to a source of suitable electrical energy,such for example as an alternating current source operating at 220volts. It is to be noted that the secondary coil 52 of the transformer53 is provided with a plurality of taps so that the voltage applied tothe various brushes it may be varied as desired.

It is essential that the sheaves 25 and 28 rotate at substantially thesame peripheral speed as the final drawing capstan i2, and even moreessential that there be no speed difference as between sheaves 25 and 28since the heated wire has very little tensile strength and would beelongated or broken in the event that sheave 28 should rotate morerapidly than sheave 25.

In order to be sure that the condition mentioned will exist, motors 21and 3e are supplied with their current in the manner illustrated in thewiring diagram, Figure 3.

Referring now to that figure, it will be noted that motors 27 and 36 aredirect current motors of the shunt wound type. The field windings ofthese two motors, respectively designated 69 and 6|, are connectedbetween the conductors ill and H which are supplied with current throughthe rectifier 12 which is fed with alternating current power of anysuitable voltage through conductors l3 and M. A rheostat is connected inseries with each of the field windings 66 and iii of motors 21 and 30,these rheostats being designated 15 and 15, respectively. Likewiseconnected across conductors it and ll in series with rheostat ll is thefield winding 63 of generator 62. The armature of generator 6G isnormally connected to the armatures of motors 2'5 and as in a manner tobe described. Generator 55 is driven by one of the shafts of the wiredrawing machine proper to thereby cause the voltage output of thegenerator to be proportional to the speed of the wire drawing machine.

The armature of generator 54 is normally connected by means of conductorit, normally closed contacts C of relay 80 and conductors 8i and 82 toone side of the armatures of motors 27 and 38, the opposite sides ofthese armatures being connected to conductor ll. The connection justdescribed, that is the connection through closed contact C of relay as,is that which prevails when the machine is running at its predetermineddesired speed. Under these circumstances, motors 2i and 3% are suppliedwith armature current which is derived solely from the generator 64 andis, as explained, necessarily proportional to the voltage output of thegenerator and consequently to the speed of the wire drawing machineproper.

However, during the initial starting period of the apparatus the voltageoutput of generator 64 is insunicient to operate the motors 21 and 30.For this reason, I have supplied the relay 80, as well as the relay 8%.Upon operation of the main controls i. e. completion of the main drawingmachine control line circuit, relay 80 is energized due to a flow ofcurrent through conductor 83, normally closed relay contact 92 on themain drawing machine, conductor 9!, winding of relay 8E9, conductor 8d,closed contact A of relay 9 and conductor 85. Operation of relay 8%)causes opening of its contact C, and closure of contacts A-B and D.Contact 92 opens immediately after the main drawing machine starts torun, and thereupon relay 8c is maintained energized by a flow of currentthrough conductor 83, contact D of relay 8!], conductor 9!, winding ofrelay t6, closed contact A of relay 9i), and conductor 35. Closure ofcontact B completes a circuit from conductor it through contact B ofrelay at to conductors 8i and 82, thus putting the motor armaturesdirectly across the D. 0. supply line comprising conductors it and H.

A soon as generator o l, supplies s fiicient output voltage, relay as iscaused to operate due to the fact that relay es is at this timeconnected across the generator armature. This connection extends fromconductor '38 to conductor 86, now closed, contact A of relay 8%,conductor 81, adjustable resistance 88 and winding relay 90, conductorH, and back to the other side of the generator armature. Thus, after theinitial stage of operation, relay 9%) i caused to operate, breaking thecircuit to winding of relay 80 at contacts A of relay 9% and therebypermitting relay 8% to restore to its normal position as shown in Figure3 connecting the generator out-' put line to the two motors 27 and 30.

Due to the driving circuit of the motors 21 and as as described above,wire it is driven at a constant peripheral speed throughout its traversefrom the drawing capstan I2 to the final spooling on the spool ll.traverse from capstan 12 to sheave 25 it is preheated to a temperaturewhich is not sufiiciently high to cause annealing. The circuit for thisheating extends from terminal 50 of secondary coil 52 of transformer 53,over conductor 54 to the brush 35 associated with capstan l2, thencethrough the wire it to sheave 25, through disc it associated with thatsheave, and over conductor 553: to the other terminal 5! of thetransformer secondary 52.

The wire it is heated to annealing temperature as it passes from sheave25 to sheave 28, the circuit for this purpose extending from terminal593 of transformer secondary 52, over conductors 5d and 58, throughbrush 5 and disc 45 associated with sheave 28, through sheave 28 andwire I6 to sheave 25, through the brush 45 and disc 44 associatedtherewith, and over conductor 51 to the opposite terminal 5! oftransformer coil 52;

During the wire As stated, the wire is preheated during its traversefrom capstan I2 to sheave 25. As the wire passes over the upper contactsheave 25 and moves downwardly toward the lower contact sheave 28 thetemperature is gradually and rapidly increased until it reaches anannealing temperature. At the point of annealing temperature the wire isprotected by the tube 31. Oxygen and corrosive gases which may be in theair are prevented from entering the tube 31 since this tube is filledwith steam which is generated by the quenching of the heated wire as itmakes contact with water in tank 38, said steam rapidly rising in thetube and forming a protective vapor about the wire therein. If desiredother inert gases such as nitrogen may be piped into tube 31, underpressure to provide a protecting atmosphere.

I claim:

1. Means for driving the contact sheaves of an annealing device of thetype in which wire is electrically heated as it passes over saidsheaves, said means comprising, in combination, a direct currentgenerator, said generator being driven at a speed proportional to thespeed of a drawing machine from which the wire is passing to theannealing device, a direct current motor directly mechanically connectedto each of the sheaves, means for adjusting the current flowing throughthe field winding of each of said motors, means connecting the output ofsaid generator to the armature of each of said motors whereby saidmotors may be adjusted to operate at the same speed and will then havespeed variations dependent only on the speed variation of the generator.

2. Means for driving the contact sheaves of an annealing device of thetype in which wire is received continuously from a drawing machine andelectrically heated as it passes over said sheaves, said meanscomprising, in combination, a direct current generator, said generatorbeing driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the drawing machinefrom which the wire is passing to the annealing device, a direct currentmotor directly mechanically connected to each of the sheaves, means foradjusting the current flowing through the field winding of each of saidmotors, and means normally connected to the output of said generator toeach of said motors, I

a relay connectable with the drawing machine and operable upon startingthe drawing machine to connect said motor armatures across a powersource and a voltage responsive relay connected across said generator,said voltage responsive relay being operative to restore said normalconnection from said motor to said generator upon said generatorreaching a speed suflicient to drive said motors.

3. In a driving mechanism for a continuous annealing device of the typedescribed and in which the wire to be annealed is heated electricallyafter it passes over a final drawing capstan as it comes from a drawingmachine subsequent to it final drawing operation in combination, a pairof contact sheaves over which said wire passes, contacting meansassociated with each of said sheaves and with the final drawing capstanof the wire drawing machine, said contact means supplying current to oneof said sheaves and through said wire to said other sheave to the finalwire drawing capstan, said wire being heated to annealing temperaturebetween the second of said sheaves and the first of said sheaves beingpre-heated between said first sheave and drawing capstan, means fordriving said sheaves at angular speed corresponding at all times to thelinear speed of the wire, said means comprising a direct currentgenerator driven by the drawing machine which supplies the wire, adirect current motor mechanically connected to each of said contactsheaves, each said motor being of the shunt wound type, a rheostat inseries with the shunt field of each said motor to provide adjustments ofthe speed thereof, said shunt windings being energized from a suitabledirect current source, means connecting the armature of each of saidmotors to said generator for supply of current therefrom, and relaymeans operable upon starting of the wire drawing machine and annealingdevices to connect said motors across said direct current source.

4. In a driving mechanism for a continuous annealing device of the typedescribed and in which the wire to be annealed is heated electricallyafter it passes over a final capstan of a drawing machine subsequent toits final drawing operation, in combination, first and second contactsheaves over which said wire passes, contacting means associated witheach of said sheaves and with the final drawing capstan of the wiredrawing machine, said contact means supplying current to the second ofsaid sheaves and through said wire to said first sheave to the finalwire drawing capstan, said wire being heated to annealing temperaturebetween the second of said sheaves and the first of said sheaves beingpre-heated between said first sheave and drawing capstan, means fordriving said sheaves at angular speed corresponding at all times to thelinear speed of the wire, said means comprising a direct currentgenerator driven by the drawing machine which supplies the wire, adirect current motor mechanically connected to each of said contactsheaves, each said motor being of the shunt Wound type, a rheostat inseries with the shunt field of each said motor to provide adjustments ofthe speed thereof, said shunt windings being energized from a suitabledirect current source, means connecting the armature of each of saidmotors to said generator for supply of current therefrom, means operableupon starting of the wire drawing machine and annealing devices toconnect said motors across said direct current source, and voltageresponsive means for restoring said normal connection from saidgenerator to said motors when said generator output is sufficient tosupply said motors.

JOSEPH V. QGRADY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,043,089 Gibbs Nov. 5, 19121,347,917 Shepperdson July 27, 1920 2,176,582 Cook Oct. 17, 19392,208,381 Lynn July 16, 1940 2,473,903 Purifoy June 21, 1949

